Identifying and Fixing Tortilla Problems Steve Bright VP R&D, Quality Mesa Foods
Identifying Areas for Improvement No off flavor & aroma Microbial Stability Machinability 10 8 Pressability Stack height Smooth fatty, in mouth Not leathery 6 4 2 Surface texture Toast point Short tender bite 0 Translucency Foldability Lamination Rollability Not sticking No cracking edges Uniform roundness Size conformity <or> actual Target weight
Troubleshooting Tortillas Sticking Toast Points Edges Shapes Staling Rollability / Foldability Mouthfeel
Sticking Package Sticking Defined: Two or more tortillas that will not separate from each other without tearing or ripping after being packaged for any period of time. Sticking can be caused by several factors Process Ingredients Formulation.
Sticking Press Setup Dry, stiff doughs require increased pressure, dwell time and temperature to obtain correct sizes gelatinizes (cooks) starch, sets structure activates all leavening creates top and bottom crust which holds in steam increasing the likelihood of pillowing (puffing) Ideal press settings dwell time = ~1.3 seconds +/ 0.2 pressure = ~ 1000 psi +/ 200 temperature = ~375 / 400 +/ 25 o F
Sticking Baking Profile Under baking Excess residual moisture Insufficient surface drying Over baking - creates pillowing or puffing top -thin crust separates from thick -bottom crust thin crust and blisters are weak X tear and flake
Over baking
Over baking + Zippering
Sticking Cooling room Purpose of the cool down is to fully prepare the tortilla for packaging, transportation and storage Typical cooler conditions cool and HUMID, 35 40 o F @80%+RH Room is cool and wet causing mist / dew / fog to condense back on the tortilla Cooler conditions must be adjusted to obtain: Tortilla pack temperature +/ 10 o F package room Humidity < 60%RH critical
Sticking Packaging Minimize temperature shifts after packaging promotes moisture migration 80 o F packing into case 50 100 o F warehouse temperature 20 140 o F truck shipping temperature winter / summer 70 o F grocery store temperature 40 o F consumer refrigeration Avoid excessive compression over packing excessive weight
Sticking Ingredient causes Flour weak flour poor gluten quality, although quantity may be available translates to: poor dough process tolerance weak baked film formation poor resistance to compression Strong Flour enhances pillowing gas retention
Sticking Reducing Agents L Cysteine and sodium metbisulfite greater extensibility in the dough higher levels (>60ppm) lead to weak protein and crust resilience. Increases the occurrence of sticking Obtain dough consistency through full mix development Optimizing flour to water ratio
Sticking Fat, Sugar Tenderizers: FAT As fat % increases, protein is diluted. Use higher melt point fats higher solids at room temperature Liquid oils remain liquid at room temperature enhances surface adhesion SUGAR As sugar increases, hygroscopicity increases increases stickiness and tenderness. Dextrose, glucose, fructose and lactose are hygroscopic
Sticking Water Case Study Tortilla plant ran water trials from 55% 43% Still had sticking at 43% Its not the quantity of water that s the problem Water is both a strengthener and a tenderizer Hydrates protein Temperature is critical to rate of hydration Cooler = cold, dry, tight dough Warmer = Sticky, extensible doughs Water hardness+ 200ppm = tough doughs (mix, reducing agents) < 50ppm = slack, sticky doughs
Toast Points Tortilla Troubleshooting
Toast Points Balance of: Bake Time Zone Temperature Flame height Balance high fire / low fire gas pressure Dough ball size to weight ratio Fat level
Toast Points Bake Time 1. 25 35 seconds 2. Typically try to run hotter faster 3. Lower dough weight to tortilla size ratio = bake faster 28g 8 Tortilla bake at 25 seconds @ 425⁰F 38g 8 tortilla bake at 30 seconds @ 425⁰F
Toast Points Zone Temperature 1. Top belt usually 20 40 ⁰F less than the middle Middle is the face and most visible in package or wrap 2. Bottom belt is set to lowest setting or turned off Too much heat on bottom belt leads to pillowing
Toast Points Fat Level 1. High fat levels = bake faster Better heat transfer 2. Lower fat levels = bake slower Less efficient heat transfer
Size and shape Tortilla Troubleshooting
Tortilla Size and shapes Tortillas too small Strong flour = elastic Under mixed = elastic Under hydrated = dry, elastic Cold dough = elastic Under scaling = insufficient mass / pressure Excessive floor time after mixing / dough frequency 3 doughs per hour is the minimum rate fresh dough every 20 minutes = / > than 30 minutes per dough will cause the last part of the dough to become dry Poor press set up Oven shrinkage Protein elasticity, insufficient press energy imparted to dough
Sizes Large Overly extensible dough Flour quality Protein quantity / quality Over mixing Hot dough* High levels reducing agents Press too severe Excessive dwell time, pressure High fat levels >12% Over hydration Over scaling
Edges Brittle, flaky Curling of the dough out of the press into the oven Cupping caused by large temperature differential between top and bottom plates >25 F Typically top plate hotter than bottom Facilitates release Facilitates transfer Curled edges expose more surface area to heat Creating toasted edges leading to dry, brittle flaky edges
Edges Lacing Caused by excessive cooking, structure of the dough is set prior to obtaining the desired size Dough is cooked in the press, protein and starch are denatured preventing further mobility, before it gets to the final size Elastic dough Under hydrated Under mixed Low reducing agents
Consumer organoleptic Troubleshooting
Rollability / Foldability Staling Starch retrogradation Over baking Damaging starch protein Lean Formula Lower fat, sugar, gums and emulsifiers
Mouthfeel, bite Short tender bite Established by formula and process Lamination From leavening Not over pressed pressure, dwell time, temperature X Leathery, tough bite High translucency Insufficient leavening Hot press Extended press dwell times
Microbial Stability Balance between: Shelf life expectations ph Preservatives Homogenized ingredients
Microbial stability
Thank You. Questions?